September 2010

[Shell to Sea comment - Unfortunately it seems the declaration that Shell's drilling platforms had left Sruwaddacon for good was premature as one of the drilling rigs moved back into the estuary today.]

A PARISH priest in north Mayo has told a Bórd Pleanála hearing into the controversial Corrib gas project that his community has been a victim of “tarnished and untrusted holders of political office”.

Speaking during the closing statements on the 20th day of the resumed hearing into the last section of the pipeline, Fr Michael Nallen said “politically this project has been through unsafe hands”.

He cited in particular former taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s involvement after planning appeals board inspector Kevin Moore turned down the then configured project in 2003.

Fr Nallen also said certain “media outlets . . . connected to the oil industry have blocked access to the means of expression for those who have genuine reasons to be concerned about the impact of the project”.

The Bord Pleanala Corrib gas oral hearing in Belmullet will run into its fifth week with closing submissions expected to start today (Tuesday) and the process is expected to conclude at the end of the week.
The oral hearing into Shell E&P Ireland’s application for the last section of the Corrib high pressure gas pipeline was expected to take three weeks to complete but has been extended on two occasions.

Activists originally occupied the flyover of the Shell garage at 122-156 Walworth Road, Camberwell, London, around 3pm on 25/09/10 [Pics] The occupation was in solidarity with the people of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland, who are resisting Shell's destructive influence, and all those experiencing repression at the hands of this brutal multinational oil company.

An article in the edition of August 26th, concerning the Corrib gas project, stated incorrectly that waste chemicals from the gas processing terminal at Bellanaboy will be discharged 80kms off the Mayo coastline.

What will be discharged to sea is treated produced water. The Environmental Protection Agency, in issuing its emission licence, said there is no potential for harm to the marine environment from the treated produced water.

A spokesperson for the Rossport Solidarity Camp described how an occupation of a Shell drilling platform was brought to an end when the last campaigner was removed when "a Garda climbed out to him with a commando knife and no harness or support gear to hold himself up.

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Blast from the Past

Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe’s first contact with a TD came about because he saw Clare Daly TD on ‘Tonight with Vincent Browne’ talking about policing of Corrib Gas protests, writes William Hederman

The repercussions for Garda whistleblowers Maurice McCabe and John Wilson will be familiar to others who have publicly embarrassed An Garda Síochána. They were clearly acting in the public interest, but their revelations brought the force into disrepute, and the two men suffered as a result. Revenge was exacted – not only by colleagues, but also by way of public denunciation by the Garda Commissioner (“disgusting”), the Minister for Justice (“not co-operating”) and by various other parties loyal to the force.

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"The Corrib licence was granted under an older licensing system. No royalties are payable, just corporation tax of 25pc less any allowances that the companies enjoy. That system was completely flawed and yet again we find that there are only marginal returns for taxpayers from new gas finds."